Improvement in fluid-meters



z Shear-Sheeti- T w. -'LA"N FLUI -METER.- I Nov-173,024." Patented Feb. 1,-187 6.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D. C

T. w; LANE. FLUID-METER.

2 Sheets sheet 2,

'Paten'tpd Fab. 1 187a.

N-PETHS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFNER, WASNINGYON. D C.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS w. LANE, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT- IN FLUID*MET ERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,024, dated February 1, 1876; application filed October 26, 1875.

in the combination, with-the piston of a meter,

of a valve-cylinder and a valve-piston adapted to operate substantially as hereinafter setforth.

- The drawing, Figure 1, shows a longitudinal section of a piston-meter provided with this improvement, the section being taken through substantially the center of the cylinder, and the inlet and exhaust passages. Fig. 2 shows the pistonsin their opposite positions e and Fig. 3, aview of the pistons removed from the cylinder.

The cylinder at is of suitable diameter and length, according to the size of themeter and the quantity'of water or other fluid to be measured. The cylinder-heads I) b" are confined by .bolts or otherwise, passing through bolt-holes 0, and in the cylinder is an inlet-passage, (l, and an exhaust or outlet passage, 0, (each shown as screw-threaded,) for the connection of the cylinder with a water-supplying pipe, and with a pipe to be supplied by water from the meter. The inner side of the cylinder is accurately, truly, and smoothly fitted to receive the piston f, which is a cylindrical shell, having fitted within it heads 9 g, the connection being made by suitable screws. Fitted closely within this cylinder is a valvecylinder, consisting of a shell, h, having inwardly-projecting dividing-walls t i, and a central bearing,j, to "sustain and guide the valve-piston k, the latter also fitting openings or bearings in the heads 9 of the piston f. Each cylinder-head has a depression, Z, to receive the projecting hub at the end of the head of the piston. In the piston, opposite the inlet-passage, is an elongated longitudinal slot or passage, forming the inlet-port m, and opposite thereto, and in the other side of the cylinder opposite the exhaust-passage e, is an elongated longitudinal passage, forming an exhaust-port n, and at each end of the inlet and exhaust ports, and substantially at right angles thereto, and near the ends of the piston, are ports 1 2 3 4, of a proper width, and

extending, in this instance, about the piston for, say, a distance of sixty degrees, more or .less. The valve-cylinder has within it similar ports to those described in the piston, and substantially coincident therewith-via, an inlet, 0, and ports 5 6, andthe outlet-port,p, which is sufficiently long and wide to extend over the exhaust n, and to the outer side of one of the ports 3 or 4.. At the center of the valvecylinder, and in its hearing-hub, are ports rs.-

The valve-piston It has ports at t u 2:, made by removing a portion of the periphery of the f head 9, is full of Water, and so is the space;

w between the valve-cylinder and head g" of the piston. Now, in this position, water passing through ports 1' and u, and acting against the head 9 and parts i t ot'the valve-cylinder,

will move the latter toward the head g of the piston, and force the water in space to out through ports'o 8, into the chamber a, and out through exhaust-ports p n e. movement of the piston in the direction of the arroww the water between its head 9 and the cylinder-head 1) passes out through the port 3, into the chamber a, and out through the exhaust. The valve-cylinder, under the action of the water between the end 9 of the piston and the parts it, as described, changes to the position shown. in Fig. 2, the ports 2 and 3 are closed by portions of the shell h of the valvecylinder, and ports 1 and 4 are opened, permitting the passage of the water, as shown by arrows in Fig. 2, the water between the heads g and b then passing through port 4 into chamber a, and through the exhausts, and, water coming in through the inlet and ports m o 5 1, passes betweenthe heads g and b, and forces the piston in a direction opposite The water or other fluid During the the arrow at, Fig.1. During the movement of the valve-cylinder withinjthe piston the valvepiston 70 moves in the direction of its arrow 7 just far enough to bring the shoulders c d into the end of bearing j, in which it moves, and thereafter the valve-piston It moves with the piston without endwise movement in its bearing j until the end of the valve-piston meets the end I) of the cylinder. Then the valve-piston k is held at rest, while the piston continues to move toward 1), and the movement of the piston and valve-cylinder over the pistonvalve opens the ports t r and 'v 8, ready for the reception of the water between the head g and part it to move the valve-cylinder, and to allow the water between the head g and part i i to exhaust through ports '0 sp n e in the manner just above described, and the ports 2 and 3 are then opened, and the piston is ready to be moved in the direction of the arrow m, Fig. 1., by the action of the water through-port 2, the water in advance of the piston-head g passing out to the exhaust through ports 3 n e, and at the end of the stroke of the piston the parts will be again as shown in Fig. 1. The adjustable stopse' at the end of the cylinder act as stops, to change the position of the piston-valve sooner or later, to cause the change of motion of the piston sooner or later.

Instead of these stops the piston-valve may be shortened, the end of the piston may be closed, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, and a pin or rod,f, (shown in part in dotted lines, Fig. 1,) may project from the piston-valve through port 0" o m, and into a groove in the interior of the cy1inder,(see dotted lines in Fig. 1,) andthe pin, besides guiding the pistonvalve, and preventing it from turning on its axis, will meet the shoulders or stops in the cylinder at the ends of the grooves, and change the piston-valve as desired. Stops may be ad'- justably fitted into this groove. At one end of the cylinder the stop 0 is broken partially away, the part not shown being as its fellow e. Portions of the shell f of the piston may be cut away to lighten the piston, and make less surface for friction and wear, the shell of the valve-cylinder remaining whole, except as to the ports made therein for the passage of the water. I

With this meter I propose to use a registering mechanism, substantially as shown and described in an application of J. Johnson, filed substantially concurrently with this, and the piston will be slotted at top, and be provided with a rack, to engage positively the registering mechanism.

The apparatus may be used as a motor for various purposes by connecting a piston-rod with the head of the piston, the rod extending through a stuffing-box in the head of the cylinder.

I claim I 1. The cylinder at, in combination with a reciprocating piston, f, a valve-cylinder, and a valve-piston, k, constructed and arranged one within the other, and adapted to operate, with relation to each other, substantially .as de' scribed.

2. The piston, provided with ports, the valvecylinder, provided with ports and center-bearing, and fitted within the piston, in combination with a valve-piston provided with ports,

and adapted to be held, through contact with astop on the cylinder, while the piston moves,

' substantially as described. 

